Folder for sewing machines



Oct. 25, 1932.

Filed Feb. 8, 1929 .2 Sheets-Sheet g-nvcnfot ocL 25, 1932. R J, SMLER1,884,271

FOLDER FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Feb. 8, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WWWPatented Oct. 25, 1932 UNITED. srATE-s- PATENT oFFicE- RUDOLPH J.SAILER, GE ELIZABETH, JERSEY, ASSIGNOB TO THE SINGER MANU- FACTURINGCOMPANY; OF" ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, ,.A (JOIRCPOIRiA'lIOfN OF NEW 7;

JERSEY FOLDER FORE SEWING MACHINES Applicationifi'led February. 8, 1929.Serial No. 338,393.

This invention relates to improvements in folders for sewing machinesand more particularly to hem-folders of. the type having folder-sectionswhich are separable to prov 5 vide for the completion of endless hemsincir cular articles of various kinds.

An objectof the present invention is to provide a hem-folder ofthis-type with means for accommodating the passage through the folder ofwork having heavycross-seams and other lumpy portions. Anotherobject'ofthe invention is to provide for a more convenient manipulation of thework, after the foldersections are separated, to complete an endless 3hem. Other and more specific objects of the invention will be apparentfrom the following description and claims.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the folder-sections aresupported by a l base-plate which is-pivotally mounted upon acarrier-bracket for substantially horizontal swingingmovement, thecarrier-bracket? being secured upon a cylinder work-arm ofa H sewingmachine. The outer folder-section, which has the usual concave wallterminating in an overhanging flange, is secured upon the base-plate foradjustment transversely of the line ofseam formation. Adapted to, abutagainst the lower edge of said concave wall is I a movable or innerfolder-section having a concave wall facing that of the fixed folder.-section and disposed below the overhanging flange of the latter. Mountedupon the base-plate, for movement in a direction substantially crosswiseof the line of scam formation, is a sliding carrier-block carrying a:supporting-plate upon which the inn-er folder-section is mounted toyield against the action of a suitable spring A and relativelyto theslide-blocln This supporting means for'the inner folder-section providesfor the passage through the folder of heavy cross-seams and other lumpy.portions ofthe work.

Pivot-ally mounted upon the slide-block is lever, adjacentits fulcrum,is a spring which not only acts upon the latch-lever to swing it intolatching position, but also functions to retract thev slide-block tocarry the inner folder-section away from the fixed section upon releaseof the latch-lever. By thus bodily shifting the inner folder-sectionaway from the outer fiXed section, ample space is provided forconveniently manipulating the work to finish the hemming operation.

Secured upon the slide-block to overliethe latch-lever isawork-supporting apron which also overlies the inner folder-section andextendsinto the line of seam formation, whereby said apron assists inguidingthe work in the hem-folding operation. This apron is, 3

of course, retractible with the slide-block to open the hem-cavity. Theslide-block has suitable connections with a knee-shift or treadle,whereby the retracted slide-block may be conveniently returned tobringthe inner folder-section into its operative position.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is afront side view in-elevation ofa portion of a cylinder-bed sewing machine and of the present improvedhemming attachment applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of thefree end portion of the sewing machine work-arm and the hemmingattachment, withthe worksupporting apron partly cut away. Fig.3

is a sectional view substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4c isa bottom plan view of the attachment. Fig. 5 is a detail view, in bottomplan, of the inner folder-section and its support Fig.6 is a sectionalview substantially on the line 66 of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a sectional viewsubstantially on the line 7-7 of Fig. 1. Fig.8 comprises perspectiveviews of the separated parts of the inner folder-section.

Referring to the drawings, the hemming attachment is shown as applied toa sewing machine having a cylinder work-arm 1, provided with a removableend-cap 2 and a throat-plate 3. Overhanging the work-arm is abracket-arm terminating in a head 4, in which is suitably journaled avertically reciprocatory needle-bar 5, carrying a needle 6. Alsoournaled in the head 4 is a presser-bar 7 to which is suitably secured apresser-foot 8 opposed to a feeding mechanism (not shown) of any wellknown t'ype,-providedv in the work-arm to advance the work across saidarm.

The hemming-attachment comprises an angular supporting bracket 9,secured by screws, as 10, upon the worlnarm 1 so as to be ad justable ina direction crosswise of the line of seam-formation. Hingedly securedupon the bracket 9, by means of a pivot screw 11 and friction-washer 12,is a heminer carrier plate 13 capable of being swung horizontally toremove the h eininer from its operative position. In order to secure thehemmer in its operative position, the carrier-plate 13 is apertured tofixedly receive a hollow post 14 in which is slidably disposed aplunger-type latch-pin 15 adapted to enter an aperture 16 provided inthe throat-plate 3. The latchpin 15 is yieldingly depressed by a spring17 to an'extent limited by the engagement of the head 18 of saidlatch-pin with. the upper end of the post 14.

Secured upon the carrier-plate 13, by screws as 19 so as to beadjustable crosswise of the line of seam-formation, is a hemmerbase-plate 20. Adjustably fixed upon the base-plate 20, by screws as 21,is the shank 22 of a primary or outer folder-section 23 of the heinmer.This primary folder-section has a substantially straight edge 24directly overlying the base-plate and disposed substantially parallelwith the line of seam-formation, said edge 24 being in the present caseslightly to the right of the seam-line. The primary folder-section risesfrom said edge 24 in a curved path to form a concave guiding wall 25terminating in a flange 26, overhanging the wall 25 and crossing theseam-line. The concave wall 25 converges from an outwardly flaringwork-receiving end, in advance of the base-plate, toward the deliveryend thereof and merges into an edge-guiding finger 27 eX- tendingadjacent the presser-foot 8 to a point substantially abreast of theneedle 6.

Adapted to abut against th edge 24 of the prin folder-section is astraight edge 28 of a secondary or inner folder-section 29 having aconcave wall 30 which constitutes, in effect, a continuation of the wall25 to form therewith a folding scroll. The concave wall 30 terminates inan overhangin lip 31 disposed below and spaced from the flange 26, saidlip 31 in the abutting position of the edges 24 and 28 of thefolder-sections extending across the seam line in a direction toward butspaced from the wall 25.

The inner folder-section 29 has a laterally extending shank 32 slidablydisposed in a guideway 33 provided in a suitably channeled guide-block34. The guide-block 34 is secured by screws, as 35, to the under side ofa shiftable supporting-plate 36 which is fastened by screws, as 37 and38 upon a ribbed carrier-block 39. The carrier-block 39 is slidinglydisposed in a guideway pro .vided by. spaced and suitably recessedguideblocks 40 and 41 secured by screws, as 42 and 43, upon thebase-plate 20.

Upon the side of the guide-block 34 opposite to that occupied by theinner foldersection 29, the shank 32 of said folder-section carries atransverse abutment flange 44. Se cured upon the under side of thesupportingplate 36, by means of a screw 47, is a wirespring 48 of whichone end bears upon the flange 44 and acts to yieldingly urge the innerfolder-section 29 toward the outer foldersection 23. The other end ofthe spring 48 bears against the shouldered end of the slide-block 39.This yielding feature of the inner folder-section 29 provides for thepassage of bulky cross-seams through the hemmer.

Extending laterally from the outer end of the supporting-plate 36 is anapertured ear 49 upon which a latch-lever 50 is fulcrumed by means ofthe supporting-plate securing screw 38. The latch-lever 50 extends in adirection substantially crosswise of the line of seam-formation and atits free end, i. e., at its end nearest the folding scrolls, saidlatch-lever is provided with a forwardly extending neck 51, terminatingin a tripping lip '52 disposed in advance of the folder-sections andcrossing the line of seam-formation. Between it-s ends and on the frontedge thereof. the latch-lever 50 is provided with a shouldered latchingnotch 53, which in the closed position of the folding scrolls isdisposed to receive a fixed stud-pin 54, rising from the guide-block 41.

Secured upon the latch-lever 50 adjacent its fulcrum, is a plate havinga depending ear 56. Bearing yieldingly against the car 56 is one end ofa coiled spring 57 housed within a rectangular casing 58 secured byscrews, as 59, upon the base-plate 20. In order to limit the movement ofthe slide-block 39 and the parts carried thereby in a direction awayfrom the fixed folder-section 23. said slide-block carries a dependingstop-pin 60 which engages one end of a slot 61 in the baseplate 20,through which slot the stop-pin 60 extends.

Suitably-secured upon the under side of the base-plate are'spacedguide-blocks, as 62 1and 63, which afford a guide'way fora slide-bar 64,having at one end a depending ear 65 adapted to engage the guide-block63' and at its other end a shoulder 66, positioned to engage theprotruding end of the stop-pin 60. The slide bar is yieldingly urged ina direction to cause its depending ear to engage the guide-block 63 by acoiled spring 67of which onejend'is secured uponthe slidebar 64 and itsother end upon the guide-block The depending ear 65'of the slide-bar is"also engagable by the free end of one arm 68 of a bell-crank lever,fulcrumed by means of a pivotscrew 69upona fixed arm 70 depending fromthe supporting-bracket 9. The

other arm 71 ofsaid bell-crank lever is connected by a chain 72 or thelike with a suitable treadle or knee-shift (not shown) andis alsoconnected by means of a coiled spring 73 with the supporting-bracket 9.The spring 73 obviously functions to hold the arm 68 of the bell-crankleverina positionpermitting the spring 67 to return the slide-bar'64into the position wherein-the slide-barear 65 engages the guide-block63. I

Inorder to properly support the body material of which'the margin is tobe hemmed, there is detachably', secured upon the supporting-plate 36,by me'ansiof screws, as. 74,

a covering-plate or work-supporting apron stud-pin 54. The necessaryforward swinging movement about its fulcrumof the latchlever intostud-pin engaging position s effected by the spring 57 which bears uponthe depending ear 56of the latch-lever with an increasing pressure asthe slide-block 39 is shifted inwardly by the slide-bar 64, under theaction ofthe treadle-operated lever 68,71. Under normal hem-foldingconditions and in the'latched position of the latch-lever 50, the edge28 of the innerfolder-section 29 is urged by the spring 48 into abuttingrelation with the edge 24 of the outer'folder-section 28.

However, when lumpy portions of the work,

such as cross-seams, pass through the iemmer, the inner folder-sectionis free to yield bodily When completing the hemming of endless work, theinitially stitched port-ion thereof engages the lip- 52 of thelatch-lever 50 and laterally in the latched position of the lever underthe continued feeding of'the work carries along, the lip 52 in thedirection of the line of seam formation, thereby swinging thelatch-lever upon its fulcrum until the shouldered notch 53 of thelatch-lever is disengaged from the stud-pin 54. The latch-lever, withits lip 52, therefore constitutes a work-controlled release element forthe shiftable folder-section. Immediately upon the release of the latchlever from the pin 54, the spring .7

57 is free to retract said latch-leven'thereby 7 also retractin thecoverin late 7 5 and the r: a: P

inner folder-section 29. The stitching operation may now be completedwith the. fixed folder-section constituting the work-guide. By shiftingthe inner folder-section bodily away from the outer folder-section, thework may be conveniently manipulated by an operator to complete thehemming operation.

Having thus set forth the nature of the inventi'on,what I claim hereinis: V

1. A sewing machine having stitch-form.-v ing mechanism, in combinationwith a fabric folding device having separable sections together forminga scroll for folding a workmargin, supporting means for one of thefolder-sections permitting it to yield laterally in a direction awayfrom the other section during the passage of the work through thefolding device,and a spring acting automatically during the stitching ofendless seams for effecting separation of the folder-sections to providefor the completion of said seams.

.' 2. A sewing machine having stitch-formposed in advance of saidstitch-forming mechanism, supporting means for one ofthe folder-sectionspermitting said section to yield laterally in a direction away from theother section during the passage of the work through the folding device,a work-controlled release element, and means rendered operative upon theoperationof said release element for effecting separation of thefolder-sections to provide for the completion of endless seams.

3. A sewing machine having stitch-forming mechanism, in combination witha fabricfolding device having separable sections disposed in advance ofsaid stitch-forming mechanism, supportingmeans for one of thefoldersections permitting said section to yield laterally in a directionaway from the other section during the passage of the work through thefolding device, and meausautomatically brought into effective actionduring the stitching of endless seams for laterally shifting theyieldable folder-section away from the othersection in a directionsubstantially transverse to the line of seam formation.

4. A sewing machine having stitch-form ,ing mechanism, in combinationwith a folder including an outer section and an innersection cooperatingtherewith to hem-fold the margin of a body material, supporting meanslng mechanism, in combination with a fabricfoldlngdevlce havingseparable sections disfor the inner folder-section permitting it toyield laterallyin a direction away from the other section duringthepassage of the work through the folder, a work-controlled releaseelement, and means rendered operative upon operation of said releaseelement for shifting the inner folder-section away from the outersection to provide for the completion of endless seams. 5. A folder for.sewing machines having separable sections together defining a hemfoldingca *ity, means including a work-controlled release element forreleasably latching said folder-sections in hem-folding position, andsupporting means for one of the folder-sections permitting it to yieldlaterally away from the other section in the latched position of saidfolder-sections.

6. A folder for sewing machines having a fixed-section and a movablesection together defining a hem-folding cavity, shiftable supportingmeans for the movable folder-section, means for releasably latching saidsupporting means in the hem-folding position of the movablefolder-section, a work-supporting apron rigid with said supporting meansoverlyingthe latching means and extending into the hem-folding cavity,supporting means for the movable folder-secti on permitting it to yieldlaterally with respect'to the fixed section and said apron during thepassage of the work through the folder, and a latch-tripping lipengageable by the initially stitched portion of an endless seam topermit withdrawal of the movable folder-section and said apron from thefixed folder-section.

7, A hem-folder for sewing machines, including an outer section having aconcave guiding-wall and an inner section having a concave guiding-wallfacing the concave wall of the outer section, means for latching saidfolder-sections in hem-folding position, and a spring for separating theconcave walls of said folder-sections upon release of said latchingmeans.

8. The combination with stitch-forming mechanism, of a hem-folderincluding an outer section having a concave guiding-wall and an innersection having a concave guiding-wall facing the concave wall of theouter section, means for latching said folder-sections in hem-foldingposition, a latch-tripping lip located in the line of seam formation,and a spring for separating the concave walls of said folder-sectionsupon release of said latching means.

9. The combination with stitch-forming mechanism, of a hem-folderincluding an outer fixed section having a concave guidingwall and aninner movable section having a concave guiding-wall facing the concavewall of the outer section, means for latching the movable folder-sectionin its operative position, a latch-tripping lip located in the line ofseam formation, automatically acting means for shifting the movablefolder-section away from the, fixed section upon release of saidlatching means, and treadle-connections for returningthe movablefolder-section into its operative position. 7

10. A folder forsewing machines having inner and outer sections togetherdefining a hem-folding cavity, a work-supporting apron overlying theinner folder-section and extending into the line of seam-formation,supporting means for one of the folder-sections permitting it to yieldlaterally during the passage of work through the folder, and means forshifting said work-supporting apron out of the lineof seam-formation toprovide for the completion of endless hems.

11. A folder for sewing machines having separable sections togetherdefining a hemfolding cavity, supporting means for one of thefolder-sections shiftable in a direction substantially crosswise of thedirection of passage of work through the folder, a pivo- -foldingcavity, supporting means for one of the folder-sections shiftable in adirection substantially crosswise of the direction of passage of workthrough the folder, a pivotally mounted'latch-lever extending forwardlybeyond the work-receiving end of the folder and terminating, in atripping lip disposed in the line of seam-formation, and meanscooperating with said latch-lever for releasably securing saidfolder-sections in operative position.

13. A sewing machine having stitch-forming mechanism, in combinationwith a folder having an outer section and an inner section cooperatingtherewith to hem-fold the margin of a body material, a carrier-blockshiftable in a direction substantially crosswise of the line ofseam-formation, supporting means for the inner folder-section permittingit to yield laterally in a stationary position of the carrier-block,means for releasably' latching the carrier-block in the operativeposition of the inner folder-section, latchtripping means extending intothe line of seam-formation, and means for shifting the carrier-block andthe inner folder-section upon release of said latching means.

14. The combination with the stitch-forming mechanism of a sewingmachine, of a hem-folder disposed in advance of said stitch-formingmechanism comprising a baseplate, an outer folder-section secured uponsaid base-plate, a shiftable carrier-block mounted upon said base-platefor movements substantially crosswise of the line of seamformation, aninner folder-section supported for lateral movements with res ect toand" with said carrier-block, means or latching said carrier-block inthe operative position of the inner folder-section, a work-supportingapron sustained by said carrier-block, a spring for shifting saidcarrier-block in one direction upon release of its latching means, aslide-bar mounted upon said base-plate engageable with saidcarrier-block, treadle-operated means engageable with said slide-bar forreturning the carrier-block into latched position, and supporting meansfor said baseplate permitting the swinging of said folder 35 from itsoperative position.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

RUDOLPH J. SAILER.

